Amniism
Amniism is the religion under which the Kassian States united after the Fourth Great War. It centers on Amni, a genderless diety embodied by the universe itself. The Emperor-Priests of Amnia (as the united Kassian States were called) ruled from 378 to 100 D.C., a period during which Kassian art, science and literature reached their high point. In 100 D.C., the division of Amniism into countless sects triggered the Tenth Kassian War, and the Kassian States were divided once again. Theology : “In the beginning, there was nothing. Then came the first moment, and in that moment the nothing realized that it was nothing. : And when the nothing knew itself, it became Amni, the Everything God, the One Who Is the Universe.” Thus begins the Walamni, the scripture around which Amniism centers. It proceeds to describe how Amni grew from nothing into the world we know today. It then lists the 999 Lesser Forms of Amni and their ranks, from first (Walit, the Law) to nine-hundred ninety ninth (O-Galimenit-Karatekin-zal-Miquen-Iketsuach-ta-Pluvinyad, the Muddy Footprints Left on Carpets by Naughty Children on Wet Days.) Followers of Amniism, Ketsuamni (lit. Children of Amni), learn to list the Lesser Forms at a young age, and when they become adults, depending on their profession, call upon up to 135 forms in their daily prayers. Prayers are said privately after the midday meal on regular days. On Amniyad, the monthly holiday, Ketsuamni gather in large outdoor meeting areas to pray together for the community. Amniism stresses the oneness of all things, despite their individual natures. Everything is a part of Amni. The people must follow the law in order to maintain the balance of Amni, so that the universe may continue to improve. Sects of Amniism The division of Amniism in 100 D.C. occurred when Hatim Engeto, a low-level priest of Niqil-Pluvin, Amni as the Light Drizzle, concluded that, as water was ever-present and took so many forms, the most important forms of Amni must involve water. His “New Ranking of the Lesser Forms” was declared heretical and outlawed, but it had already left its mark. Soon priests all over Amnia were declaring certain Lesser Forms to be underappreciated and others to be overrated. Hundreds of groups formed, meeting secretly to worship their chosen forms of Amni. Ighae Rakand, the Emperor-Priest at the time attempted to suppress these movements by arresting anyone suspected of questioning the True Ranking written in the Walamni. Unfortunately for him, this only served to give the new sects a common enemy, and he was overthrown in 99 D.C. The rebellion leaders immediately fell to warring with one another in a bloody civil war, the Tenth Kassian War. The war was resolved in 91 D.C. with the Treaty of the Three Corners, which divided Amnia into the three current Kassian States, each governed by one of the three sects of New Amniism which emerged strongest from the war. Aukaramniism This is the water-oriented sect originally created by Hatim Engeto. Indeed, Engeto is now viewed as the prophet of Aukar, a form of Amni encompassing all 73 water-related Lesser Forms listed in the Walamni. Aukar does not replace Amni, but is said to be the most powerful part of Amni. Aukaramniism governs the State of Kuwa. Rhimamniism This sect, based on the teachings of Egar Sinad, discards all the Lesser Forms, worshipping Amni in its greatest and purest form: Amni, the Everything God, the One Who Is the Universe. It governs the State of Allysam. Vayeramniism The Amni of this sect is divided into two parts, the Parent and the Child. The Parent teaches the Child until the Child becomes the Parent and the Parent is reborn as the Child. Daks are born as the Child and learn as they grow. After many years of study they have gained the wisdom necessary to become the Parent and earn the right to teach the next generation. Other aspects of Amni—the rain or the forest, for example—can also function as the Parent to a Dak Child. The State of Sia is governed by Vayeramniism. Selyr-ero-Amni This rumored cult has developed only recently and covertly. Indeed, its members are so secretive that its existence, though heavily suspected, remains unconfirmed. The founding members, studying the Walamni, noticed that the only mention of anything apart from Amni was the reference to “nothing” in the opening sentences. They saw this nothing as a separate deity: Selyr-ero-Amni, the Nothing Before Amni, which, having existed for an unlimited time before Amni, must therefore be greater and more powerful. They worship this Nothing God through mysterious rituals and await its return. The furtiveness of the cult is not surprising, given that these ideas would be heretical and punishable by death in any one of the Kassian States. 'Citations: 'Kassian States, Fourth Great War Kostrzewa 20:56, September 5, 2010 (UTC) Category:Faith